65 facts for the 65th NBA All-Star Weekend

February 10, 2016

The NBA’s midseason break is here and for the first time ever it will be hosted outside of the United States. Toronto, Canada, home of the Raptors, Drake, outstanding and varied cuisine, an incredible nightlife and the Tim Horton’s headquarters (if we’re counting the suburb of Oakville) is the center of the NBA’s universe this weekend. Aside from being played in a foreign country for the first time, it’s also the 65th birthday of the NBA’s ASG and we’ve compiled 65 fun facts for you to impress your friends with this weekend while you’re watching the Three-Point Shootout.

This is Kobe Bryant’s 18th (and final) All-Star appearance.

Kobe’s 18 appearances are one short of the record for most All-Star appearances.

Kareem Abdul-Jabar holds the record with 19.

Kobe has won the All-Star MVP a record-tying four times (Bob Pettit of the St Louis Hawks is the other player.)

In lieu of an MVP ceremony at the game’s conclusion, Kobe Bryant will receive an AARP card from Adam Silver.

Damian Lillard, arguably the largest ASG snub this season, is averaging 24.4 points per game to Kobe’s 16.9 ppg.

Steph Curry is averaging an absolutely bonkers 45% on three pointers this season. Kobe is averaging 40% on two-point field goals for the year

Steph Curry is not actually a human, but a sophisticated and sentient robot sent here from the future to find John Connor and teach him how to nail threes. Seriously, these are Curry’s numbers this season.

Oddly enough, with the All-Star Weekend being hosted in Canada, there were zero foreign-born players on either roster until Pau Gasol of the Chicago Bulls was added this week as an injury replacement for Jimmy Butler.

With Gasol’s inclusion, there’s been at least one international player on an ASG roster since 1982!

Kawhi Leonard, who is making his first All-Star appearance, has actual oven mitts for hands. This malformation has afforded him the nickname “Vin The Baker.”

In addition to Leonard, both Draymond Green from Golden State and Detroit’s Andre Drummond are making their first ASG appearances.

This year’s Three-Point Shootout is highlighted by returning champ, Steph Curry, his teammate Klay Thompson and JJ Redick of the LA Clippers.

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge is getting bigs involved in the contest which has typically been dominated by guards. Anthony Davis of the Pelicans, Karl-Anthony Towns from the T-wolves, Draymond Green of Golden State and Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins highlight the bigs that are invited.

If Cousins makes it to the final or a tie-breaker scenario, game over. The final and tie-breakers are how many tacos one can wolf down in a minute. DO NOT BET AGAINST DEMARCUS IN THIS SCENARIO.

The NBA’s very first regular season game was played at the old Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on November 1, 1946. It was contested between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Huskies.

Kobe Bryant is the record-holder for most ASG points(280) in a career.

LeBron James is only two points(278) behind Kobe.

LeBron James has famously never participated in the Dunk Contest.

Zach LaVine, who was seemingly only born to dunk, will be defending his 2015 Dunk Contest title this year.

Andre Drummond will also be competing in the competition.

Kevin Hart will be coaching in the Celebrity game against Drake and Co. Hart, who is basically young Kobe in Celeb games, won the Celeb game MVP a record four times. The guy can seriously ball.

Isaiah Thomas is making his All-Star debut this year and was the 60th (and last) player drafted back in 2011.

Golden State has the most players represented on the ASG rosters this season with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

The record for most players from one team on an All-Star roster is four (held by Atlanta, Detroit, LA Lakers, Philladelphia and the Boston Celtics).

Draymond Green is leading the league in triple-doubles this season. He has 10 so far.

Green’s All-Star teammates, Russell Westbrook, is second in the league with 8 trip-dubs and Russ also has 35(!!) double-doubles.

Russell Westbrook won the All-Star MVP last season and was awarded, among other things, a free Kia and gave it to a single mom. True story.